Printer&#39;s slug and quad.



No. 839,676. PATENTED DEC. 25. 1906.

H. A. TOREN.

P-RINTERS SLUG AND QUAD.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 26,1905.

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PRINTERS SLUG AND QUAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed December 26,1905. Serial No. 293,300-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN A. 'IOREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Printers Slugs and Quads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in printers slugs and quads; and its object is to provide for setting angular lines and fixing the same and the lines set in the approximately triangular spaces which are thus created securely and rigidly in the desired position in the form.

According to the present methods of typesetting ordinary lines of type are'set at right angles to the sides of the form in which the same are locked. Vhen it is desired to set a line or portion of a line at any other angle, such angular line of type is covered at each edge with a slug of suitable length and thickness, the sides of such slug being parallel, and the approximately triangular spaces which are thus created between the ends of the regular lines of type and the adjacent edge of the slug are filled or spaced out with bodies of type and with quads which bear against the smooth surface of the slug, sometimes with their angular corners and sometimes with a smooth surface, and are held in place with reference to the slug only by frictional contact. In case jarring of the form or other cause reduces the degree of this frictional contact below the necessary point the line of type and slugs will not be firmly held. Further, it is diflicult and practically impossible to provide quads approximately triangular or with a plain beveled surface in suflicient number and variety to make perfect contact with the slug at all the different angles in which it may be placed.

The object of my invention I accomplish by the construction shown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a portion of a form containing an angular line locked therein in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-section of a somewhat-difi'erent form of slug and quad from the form shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sec tion of still another form, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of still another form on a line corresponding to the line at a; of Fig. 2. Figs. 5 and 7 show other modified forms of concross-section. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section of portions of two slugs, showing the way in which two short ones are joined or placed together to make a longer line.

In Fig. 1, O represents the sides of the form, and A A represent the slugs placed in an angular position and inclosing between them the line of type which it is desired to have appear in such angular position.

D D indicate two of the ordinary lines of type set at the regular angle. It is to be assumed that the entire remainder of the form in Fig. 1 not occupied by the angular line is filled with similar reg ular lines, as will be the case when the setting of the type was finished and the same was finally locked up in the form. The condition shown in the drawings would be typical of that existing when only part of the regular lines had been set. 1

Upon one edge of the slugs I provide a series of depressions to look a projection entering these depressions. I prefer to use for this purpose aseries of vertical grooves, and these grooves are made as close to each other as may be found desirable. The simplest form of such groove is the two-sided one, forming in cross-section a mere notch and indicated in Fig. 2.

Upon the quad B designed to fill in the angular space between the end of the line of type and this angular slug I provide a suitable projection adapted to engage with the depression in the slug. The simplestform of such projection is shown in Fig. 2, since the corner of the quad fitting into the opening in the slug may properly be considered as a projection.

Inasmuch as the portions of the edge of the slug between the depressions are in the nature of projections and the spaces at the side of the projection on the quad are in the nature of depressions, it is evident that the location of these upon the slug and quad, respectively, may be reversed at will, and a typical case of such reversal I have illustrated in Fig. 5. I find it most desirable to make these depressions on the slugs in-the shape of vertical grooves, since thereby the quads may be slid into position from above in case there is no room to bring them into posi tion from the side, as will often be the case.

I have found the approximately semicircular form of projection and depression shown in Figs. 1 and 7 a desirable form, as thereby a considerable bearing-surface is given between struction, the same being in horizontal the quad and the slug, and at the same time this form'of engagement adapts itself to a great variation of angles more perfectly than will the form of engagement shown in Fig. 2.

I have also found it desirable to use in .cer-

tain cases the form of engagement shown in.

Fig. 3, in which the projection is provided with a narrow neck and an enlarged approximately circular head, and the receiving deafter the quads are in engagement with the slugs they will remain anchored and will not drop away from the slug, and, if desired, all can be moved at once by moving the slug.

- It has other practical advantages, although more difficult of construction.

In the formof engagement shown in Fig. 4 one member is provided with a projecting pin or lug, and the other member is provided with a correspondingly-shaped depression. Evidently in this form the parts will be locked against forward motion as well; but the difficulty of accomplishing enga ement would render this form desirable only or certain conditions.

In order to meet the requirements of the printer, it is necessary to supply slugs of varying lengths, so that any desired length can either be had ready to hand or can be built up by using two or more smaller lengths. In making joints between two lengths I find it desirable to bring this joint at the center of the depression, one-half of the depression being cut from each length. In this way the spacing between the depressions will always be preserved accurately.

It is evident that as the angle of the slug is changed it will rock upon the quad at the point of engagement and that by spacing out the lines of type in the usual way the quad can be made to occupy such a position laterally of the form as to engage with and lock the slug against motion lateral to the quad at any possible angle which it may be desired to have the slug occupy. In the form of engagement v cure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a printers slug and printers quad, one provided with a depression, and the other provided with a projection, the depression and projection being of such shape as to permit a rocking motion of the slug and quad one upon the other.

2. The combination of a slug provided with a series of vertical grooves and a quad provided with a vertical projection adapted to engage one of said vertical grooves, the grooves and projection being of such shape as to permit a rocking motion of the slug and quad one upon the other, and also to lock the said devices.

3. The combination of a slug having a series of vertical grooves of concave form, and a quad having a vertical projection of conveX form adapted to engage with such groove at different angles.

4. The combination of a slug provided with a series of vertical grooves, such grooves being wider in their inner portion than at the edge of the slug, and a quad with a vertical projection having a neck and a head adapted to engage such groove.

5. The combination of a quad having a vertical projection, and a slug havinga series of vertical grooves adapted to engage such projection and provided with a half-section of such groove at each end of the slug.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN A. TOREN. Witnesses:

MARY S. TOOKER, THEODA S. VINCENT. 

